Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-03-05
THE DEATH OF BOOTH.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT AS GIVEN
 IN "GATH'S" NEW NOVEL.

Tn. A.sassin's Last Plea for Fighting ch.nc.-rhe Barn on Fire-A Face that Seemed a Battle Ground ot Wounds and sPasns-
 At the suggestion of John Brown nlS wandering powers took coherenee anu example, and he remembered the InaH nerisn in which old Brown had met HIS fate, and Booth tried to be his pupil
 ..Captain." " said Booth, assuming hol- Io,v theatrical voice. ''give me a living chance: withdraw your men a hundreu nores from the barn and I'll come out and fight your -.
 This had been John Browns request when entrapped in his engine house, and Booth aspired to die like Brown
 He repeated the request, and thought fl unite unmerciful that he was not ac- corded a little stage space to die effective ly in. .,-s.-.,
 "We'H waste no more time, " the CIVIL officer without spoke, in a tone of disgust
 The katydid or cricket never ceased 10 call Iits resOunding beads, and pray, pray pray
 Booth searched the heavens and the world for some intercessOr, and fetched from weakness his mothers name. By that saint he asked for fifty yards and for a little more time.
 Everything was refused.
 s.Now. then, my brave boys" he de- claimed. in the tones of the stage again, .sprepare stretcher for mel
 .sStretchers" were the canvas piers to carry out of battle wounded men. Booth assuming to the end-wOuld appear 10 be a veteran entitled Co the hOnOrs of war
 He raised his carbine, feebly resolving to Kill some one or tO fire it of at least, and as he stepped, on foot and crutch, toward the center of the barn, to be farthest from mems aiming, friction match was scratch d behind him, as if his broken bones had rasped each other, and sent a cold chill up his spine
 He turned and saw the barn on fire.
 A lighted whisp of straw, twisted by some one without. had fallen into the loose hay. and some brush piled against the outside of the barn WIS also afire. The warm flame for q single instant car ried the odor and crackle of his fathers log cabin to his heart, and he shouted as his crutch fell from under his arm and left him helpless;
 Captain. do it quick, Now shoot me through the heart"'
 The cricket ceased tO sing, though everything beside came forth in the bright light, till what had been the throne of a gloom stood revealed in the blessed implements and yield of husbandFy. and there were wasps flying around their nests in the roof. scenting flame, and in the lit- ter of the floor ran rats in single file, all slyly, as from a sinking ship, and one squeaied as it crossed his shadow like an old witch in an incantation scene.
 The blow and The harrow teeth took ruddy gleam; some swallows in the tim bers flew round and round, blinded by the fire. and the pegs for tobacco and the burning tobacco leaves grew to be ferns and scallOps of gold as they hung, like gilded scenes in spectacles, around the desperate man.
 He had seen fires upon the stage and helped to stamp them out, and he l.mped toward the greater flame near a corner; but suddenly a great tongue of fire licked him and singed him as if Cerberus at hell's door had fondled on him with fur mace tOnCuei
 Fear seized him and he ran toward the door on misftting bones-the door held open as by some invisible Angel-and as he ran the pOnderous beams and trees in the structure seemed tO fall upon his
 
 Booth next felt water in his face. and two men were holding him up and search ing his body and putting their fingers in his brain.
 Its here. n said one. right where he shot the president. behind the ear and on the same side, and here it comes thrOugh"'
 In gagging tOrlnents he discerned be- fore him two men in Confederate dress all shown by the light of the burning barn. which was reflected in the home stead porch he lay upon.
 "Did-he-betray- sighed Booth. pointing to one of these, the officer who had brought him tO the house.
 He did not hear the answer but he made it himself:
 "Tell-mOther-I thought did-bes; -rights-a cOuntry-tll-I died. Kill me- Kill met
 HerOld, tied to the tree in the little flat lawn, saw them turn Booth to make him comfortable and heard him gasp and groan, and Herold shed the only tears
 Booth could not swallow and his words were measured like dew in the honey suckle cup that dropped above his eyes and opened to the fire
 He saw them, in his paralysis, hold up the arsenal of things he had carried so
 
 blood upon it. two pistols with revolving cylinders thick as his riven ankle and loaded in every chamber, a seven shOtted carbine; a candle spotted pocket compass; his diary full of protestatiOns and despair, and holding Light PittsOns name: his pipe and scarf pin and the hkenesses of ladies; and a little Catholic medal He sighed: t'Tonguer'
 The detective opened his mouth and said:
 Booth. no blood Is on your tongue"
 He started at his name, which seemed l a century since it had been mentioned, | and gasped.
 "Handsr' The officer raised his hand and moist | ened it with piece of ice. and lifted it all | limp to Booths face. IL fell uncontrol- | able like his broken foot.
 He feebly moved his eyebaIls through | an arc which swept all nature and exhaled | the closing words
 "Cselsss-'less,'
 His face now expressed the unseen | agony for which there was no word. and | the cherished pride uf strength pushed | Death away that mercifully drew near again and again. but ever was repelled by the flushing rose and pulse of life, till | that the cOuntenance of The actor and athlete seemed battle ground of wounds and spasms, growing hOllower with each contention and ready at the cocks crow, Ike the wandering ghost, to fade into the morn.
 A carbineer had killed him in the barn; and long afterward was found in the ashes there the fell glass delivered tO him at Surratt's-its leather case found unin- jured in a distant farm house.
 The cocks began Co crow The morn awaked with sullen eyes. A doctor had come, hut it was too late.-George Alfred Townsend in Katy of CatOctin."
 Glass mirrors were first used, spectacles were invented and clocks made tO strike